Method of making louvered panels



Se t. 16, 1958 L. SMITH 2,851,931

METHOD OF MAKING LOUVERED PANELS f Original Filed Dec. 1'7, 1952 United States Patent METHOD OF MAKING LOUVERED PANELS Lester L. Smith, Peoria, 111.

Original application December 17, 1952, Serial No. 326,409, now Patent No. 2,759,413, dated August 21, 1956. Divided and this application February 25, 1954, Serial No. 412,533

2 Claims. (Cl. 113-116) This invention relates to a method of making louvered panels, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing louvered panels from sheet metal or the like, whereby the panels are reinforced and the louver openings are shielded to afford weather protection.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 326,409, filed December 17, 1952, now Patent No. 2,759,413 and entitled, Louvered Panel Structure.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a method for manufacturing louvered panels integrally from single sheets of metal and which provide overlapping surfaces at the louver openings so as to afford protection against the passage through such openings of driving rain, snow, sleet and the like.

As another object my invention comprehends the provision of a method for forming louvered panels which incorporate integral reinforcing ribs, which ribs add strength and rigidity to the panels.

My invention further has within its purview the provision of a method of manufacturing louvered panels which affords conservatism in both manufacturing cost and the use of metal without material detriment to either the rigidity of the panels or the weather protection provided at the louver openings.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a louvered panel structure embodying a preferred form of my invention and made by the method disclosed herein;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the louvered panel shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Fig. l, in the direction of the arrows, and drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2 in order to illustrate details of the louvered panel structure; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are end sectional views illustrating successive steps of the manufacture of the disclosed louvered panel structure in accordance with my preferred method.

The accompanying drawings depict a preferred embodiment of my invention for illustrative purposes and show my preferred method for the production of louvered panels in accordance with this invention. Figs. 1 and 2 show a louvered panel 10 of substantially rectangular shape, in which louvered panel a series of louvers 12 project from the front face of the panel sheet and are integrally formed from the metal, such as aluminum, of the sheet. The louvers 12 extend horizontally and are disposed in substantially parallel and vertically spaced relationship to one another. Each louver extends downwardly over an elongated louver opening 13. Since the metal which is forced from the panel sheet to provide a louver opening is forced outwardly from the front face of the sheet and curved downwardly, the vertical extent of the louver, particularly along the major portion of its length and between the ends, does not quite cover the lower portion of its louver opening. This normally leaves gaps between the lower edges of the louvers and the lower edges of the louver openings, as depicted at 14 in Fig. 4.

In my disclosed louver structure, the louver openings have substantially straight lower edges 15 and the louvers are substantially straight between their end portions, with those end portions 16 smoothly curved in both horizontal and vertical planes to their juncture with the coplanar intervening portions of the louver sheet. In the disclosed louvered panels, side margins 17 and 18, as well as top and bottom margins 19 and 20 respectively, provide substantially flat areas surrounding the louvers and in coplanar relationship to spacing portions 22 of the louver sheet which separate the louver openings.

In order to provide more adequate and effective weather protection than is afforded by the louvers alone at their respective louver openings, and because of the gap, such as 14, which is normally present between the lower edge of each louver and the lower edge of its louver opening in an integrally formed louver structure, it is desirable to cover the lower portion of the louver opening without unduly restricting that opening to an extent that the coverfor the opening is in overlapping and spaced relationship to the lower portion of each louver. For this purpose, and to provide stiffening ribs for rigidifying the louvered panel without departing from the advantages of the integral formation of my louvered panel from a single metal sheet, I have provided horizontal folds 23 and 24 in spaced relationship and adjacent the lower edge of the louver opening, which folds extend across the louvered sheet and are in the nature of return bends and effect the provision of a stiffening rib 25 of triple thickness metal extending across the lower portion of each louver opening and overlapping the lower edge of the louver at that opening in spaced relationship thereto. In the disclosed structure, the louver fold 23 for each louver opening is substantially coincident with the lower edge 15 of the louver opening, although it could be spaced somewhat therefrom. The other fold or return bend 24 for each louver opening is spaced sufficiently from the first mentioned fold 23 that the stiffening rib 25 of plural thickness metal which is provided for by the folds extends to a position somewhat above the lower edge of the adjacent louver. The upper extent of the folded stiffening rib 25 is limited to afford ample space above that rib for the passage of air through the louver opening. In order to provide a substantially flat face on the rear of the louver panel for mounting purposes, the metal of the louver sheet is formed at the fold so that the folds extend somewhat forwardly from the back surface of the sheet.

In the production of my disclosed louvered panels, my preferred method includes the piercing and formation of a substantially flat metal sheet to provide the formed louvers, as shown in Fig. 4, with greater space intervening between the louver openings 13 than is desired in the finished louvered panel. The number of louvers and the sizes of the louver openings is, of course, selected along with the size of the desired louvered panel. Furthermore, the initial spacing between the louvers is selected to provide for the double fold of the rib 25 which extends to a position above the lower edge of the adjacent louver, and also to provide for the desired spacing between the louvered openings of the finished panel.

After the formation of the louvers, as depicted in Fig. 4, the sheet is bent along the lines of the folds, as shown in Fig. 5, to establish the positions of the folds. Then the folds are completed to the extent that the adjacent layers of metal are juxtaposed, and the metal of the sheet is formed to the extent that the back surface is substantially fiatand the folded portions extend forwardly therefrom. If desired to. afiord addedv stiffness, the folded ribs may be spot-welded at spaced positions so that the layers of the rib are bonded together.

From the foregoing descniption and reference to. the fieompanying drawings, it may be readily appreciated thatl have developed an integrally formed: louveredpanel which not only provides for good ventilation, but also affords effective weather protection. In addition, this integrally formed louvered panel embodies stiifening ribs O Plural thickness metal which rigidify the structure to the extent. that metal may be conserved in-the panel overall because it can be made from. metal considerably thinner than that which would afford the same rigidity without the stiffening ribs. Furthermore, my invention comprehends the provision of a feasible and eflicient method for producing louvered: panels of the. disclosed type in a series of steps which can be accomplished by machine operations. and. in large quantities.

- Although my invention has been described in connection with specific details of the embodiments thereof, it must be understood that it is not intended to be limited thereto except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States. is:

1. The method of making louvered panels from a metal sheet which comprises the steps of piercing and forming a 4 blank sheet to provide elongated louver openings therein at. positions spaced farther apart than the openings are in the finished panel and wherein louvers project from one face of the sheet and cover a major portion of the openings, and folding the portions of the sheet intervening between the openings to provide tightly closed U-type return bends along lines. extending longitudinally of the openingsand across the sheet along the edges of the openings opposite those from which the l-ouvers project to provide strips of'plur-al thickness metal overlapping the louvers in spaced relationship thereto.

2. The method of making louvered panels from a metal sheet as. defined in claim 1, and wherein the sheet is folded along a line substantially coincident with the elongated edge of each of the louver openings opposite that from which the louver projects, and another fold is provided at a distance of less than half the louver opening width from the first-mentioned fold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 198,979 Hayes Jan. 8, 1878 1,482,915 Dolezal Feb. 5, 1924 2 ,242,586 Marbach May 20, 1941 2,291,480 Marbach July 28, 1942 2,703,045 Gilbert et al. Mar. 1, 1955 2,759,413 Smith Aug. 21, 1956' 

